The exploration of leftover mined area of Kolar gold mines in Karnataka to assess the remaining resources has begun and its revival will depend on techno-economic feasibility, Parliament was informed today.

Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Heavy Electricals and Korea’s Doosan are in race for a Rs 14,000-crore order from NTPC Ltd’s arm to supply equipment and set up its 3×800-MW coal-based plant as part of the company’s expansion project at Patratu in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, according to an official at one of the bidders

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents "aspirational" India and the youth of the country have reposed overwhelming faith in the Prime Minister because they see in him the realization of their aspirations in “New India”

After posting a consistent rise in four years from 2012-13 to 2015-16, coal royalty collection in Odisha has witnessed a slide in this fiscal, with Coal India's biggest producing subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) struggling to meet its targeted coal production.

Top Chinese and Indian firms have participated in a business forum held in a key industrial hub in eastern China to introduce them to investment opportunities in India in sectors like renewable energy and infrastructure.

Global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could be reduced by 70 percent by 2050 and completely phased out by 2060, research by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed on Monday

State-run Power Finance Corporation on Monday said it has sanctioned Rs 9128 crore financial assistance to power utilities of Tamil Nadu. A Loan Agreement was signed between PFC and the Power Utilities of Tamil Nadu to this effect

In the last two and half years, Indian power sector has undergone a visible transformation across its complex value chain. Piyush Goyal, the Minister of State with independent charge for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy has established a rejuvenation framework for the ailing state distribution companies (discoms) through the UDAY scheme

Solar power, along with onshore and offshore wind, is one of the most mature and promising renewable energy sources available. And because solar photovoltaic (PV) panels work well in small off-grid applications as well as medium-sized and larger projects, it is also particularly well-suited to the decarbonisation efforts of developing countries, many of which have access to ample reliable solar resources

As India continues to rely on conventional sources of energy, with thermal power contributing a major proportion of all the electricity produced in the country, acute shortage of water around power plants appears to be having an impact on the power output with India losing about 5,870 million units of generation due to the non-availability of water till February in this financial year.

The capacity utilization of thermal power plants has been in the red for the last several years. From a peak of 79 per cent in 2007-08, it fell to 75 per cent in 2010-11 due to the twin reasons of faster capacity addition and stressed coal availability.

SECTION II: OIL AND GAS

The international crude oil price of Indian Basket as computed/published today by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was US$ 50.44 per barrel (bbl) on 17.03.2017

Around two crore poor families have been provided with new LPG connections, taking to 19 crore the total number of families having gas connections in the country, the government told the Rajya Sabha today.

Oil prices were nearly unchanged last week as the Opec and IEA monthly reports gave mixed set of signals. While the compliance to output cuts has been nearly 100 per cent from the Opec side, relative non-compliance of Non-Opec coupled with steadily climbing US production is keeping prices under pressure.

Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan brought PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Urja Ganga’, an energy lifeline for eastern India, to his home state Odisha on Saturday by kicking off work on city gas networks in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

What’s next: This was the key investor question in the past two weeks after RIL’s 17% outperformance versus Sensex. While investor debate on telecom earnings and energy project execution may continue near term, we believe delivery of energy earnings will provide the next leg of stock performance, as it should boost earnings expectations and lift return

INFRASTRUCTURE

Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu, was chief guest which was presided by Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (I/C), Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan as the dignatories in the Digi Dhan Mela held at Bhubaneswar railway station on 20.03.2017

Over 400 train stations in India have free WiFi services, thanks to the venture between Indian Railways and Google. Indian Railways has grown by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years, and continues to follow the latest trends.